Giving Back at the Holiday Used Toy Drive

 By: Veronica (she/her)| Natural Resources Conservation Major at UMass Amherst

         It’s estimated that over 80% of children’s toys end up in landfills and oceans (ecoBirdy), while over 91% of plastic is not recycled (National Geographic)  At this point in time, plastic is part of our lives from birth to death. I challenge you to find a single place, nature included, devoid of plastic. Whether it be litter, your computer, or the packaging your food comes in, plastic is all around you. From a young age, children are introduced to the concept that the world is disposable: their own clothes, toys they play with, even their school papers.

In an effort to give back to the community while promoting reuse, the Agawam Zero Waste Club created the Holiday Used Toy Drive. Many parents are stuck with used toys that their children have grown out of. No one likes to throw out perfectly good toys, but many organizations, such as Toys for Tots only take new toys. The Holiday Used Toy Drive is different- it takes gently used toys and offers them, completely free of charge, for anyone who wants them- regardless of financial situation. Any other year, all the toys are set out and people can pick whatever they’d like for the children in their lives. From toy trucks, to books, to baby’s toys, the options are endless. Due to COVID-19, this year was a lot different. Toys were collected much earlier, so they would have time to quarantine away from people. Each toy was shown on a website where people could request toys. It was split up so everyone could at least get something they wanted. From there, we divied up the toys so each person would get a bag with all of their items. Tomorrow, all the collected toys will be given out through appointments, as to reduce the volume of people and respect COVID-19 restrictions.

Leave a comment if you’d like to volunteer next year! Being an environmental leader means taking action in your community. While it can be nerve wracking, its success gives you confidence. You don’t need to create a huge change to be considered an environmental leader, you just have to get involved in civic engagement. Civic engagement involves giving back to the community for the betterment of the world around you. By doing your part, you strengthen community connections and give back to those in need. Donating an old toy may seem minor, but your seemingly small actions make the holidays more special for a family. It feels great to know you did something good for the people around you. No toys to donate? Join us in organizing and giving out toys! Everyone is welcome.

From Previous Years:

Trash Talkin" with Nancy & Helga

In honor of Earth Day, Helga and I are delivering a powerful presentation about ways to reduce our collective trash footprints and live more sustainably.  This free event takes place at the Agawam Public Library on Tuesday, April 11th at 6:30PM. If you have questions, e-mail me at helgathehen@gmail.com. The first 25 participants will receive a kitchen compost bucket  compliments of the Town of Agawam Depatment of Public Works.

Helga Promotes AGAWAM CLEAN

Helga & Agawam's DPW are promoting Agawam's Second Annual Town-Wide Clean-Up called AGAWAM CLEAN during the month of May and we need your help!!!

Here's why:

• Many of Agawam's streets are littered with trash.

Trash from a Feeding Hills Street

• This trash is harmful to pets and wildlife.

Puppies eat trash, especially if it is a food wrapper.

• This trash may enter storm drains and flow directly into our streams, rivers and finally into the ocean contributing to Ocean Garbage Patches.

A dead albratross that ate plastic from the ocean mistaking it for food.
Photo credit:www.ChrisJordan.com

Here's how you can help.

• Pick an area (small or large) that is littered and register your area with the DPW at 821-0624.

• Bring a bag or two and wear gloves.

• Join others  and clean up that area.

• Take before and after photos of that area and send them to agawam.ma.us/DPW and also share them with others via social media.

• Consider adopting your area and keeping it clean all year.

• Ask other residents, businesses, and civic organizations to join.

• Consider saving old bags that you would normally throw out (such as large dog food bags) and use them as trash bags to save resources.

• Put bagged trash with your weekly trash pick-up. If the trash is from a local business, ask that business if you may use their dumpster.

• If you have any metal items to move, call Mr. T's Trash Removal at 413-205-7082.
• Many Agawam students are planning a cleanup.

• If you don't live in Agawam, organize a cleanup where you live and name it "YOUR TOWN" CLEAN.

A litter free town is possible when we change the current culture to AGAWAM CLEAN. There are a number of beautiful litter-free places thoughout out the world and Agawam can be one of them. Let's put Agawam on that litter-free  map.

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are needed for 2 separate Connecticut River Cleanups in Western Massachusetts on Saturday, April 23 at 9AM.  You may meet at one of the locations below:

1. Pynchon Point on River Road in Agawam
2. Parking area on the North side of Meadow Street, across from Westfield Music School, Westfield

For more information, go to westfieldriver.org  For information about other cleanups in your area, go to ctriver.org or search "Earth Day Cleanups 2016." Add your city and state to narrow your search.

Trash Talkin' with Nancy (and Helga)

In honor of Earth Day, Helga and I are delivering a powerful presentation about ways to reduce our trash footprints. This free event will take place at the Agawam Public Library on Tuesday, April 12th at 7PM.Click on the link below to see more information and to sign up:
Trash Talkin' with Nancy (and Helga)  

If this link fails, go to agawamlibrary.org, click on events/activities, scroll down to this event.

Helga Donates Used Christmas Cards to St. Jude's Recycled Card Program

Give greeting cards another life by donating them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children "Recycled Card Program."  St. Jude's Mission:  "Transforming the lives of abused and at-risk children, young adults and families by empowering them to create new chances, new choices and new hope in a caring community." 

See below for information from https://stjudesranch.org/ 

All occasion greeting cards are accepted year round. (Thank you, birthday, holiday, Christmas, sympathy, religious, Thanksgiving, etc.)

Give your used cards a second life.

Check the back: Hallmark, Disney, or American Greeting cards can not be accepted.

• Only the card front can be used (Please check to be sure the backside of the front of the card is clear of any writing.)  Children at the Ranch remove the front of the card and attach a new back to create a beautiful new card. 
• 5″ x 7″ size or smaller is preferred
• To mail large quantities in the least expensive way, use a USPS (United States Post Office) Flat Rate Box (available at your local Post Office), which holds up to 70 pounds
• Mail donations to:
  St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
  Recycled Card Program
  100 St. Jude’s Street
  Boulder City, NV 89005

Helga invites you to Un-Trash the Holidays

Americans create about 25% more trash during the holidays. So while you make your tree brighter, make your trash lighter! Un-Trashing our planet is a gift we give each other.
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No wrapping paper, no problem.

Use pillowcases. It's okay to ask for them back. Good friends don't mind.

Use dish towels or cloth napkins. If you want them back, ask or make the towel/napkin part of the gift.

Check your recycle bin for clever options such as magazines, flyers, newspaper or paper towel rolls.
 

If you use traditional wrapping paper, check to see if it is recyclable in your area. In Western Massachusetts, wrapping paper (except for metallic, foil, glitter types) is recyclable as well as tissue paper, lottery tickets, greeting cards (if made of paper.) Western Mass residents go to Springfieldmrf.org for more information.

About 40 billion plastic utensils are used in the US every year. Use the real stuff. If your host does not have enough silverware for everyone, loan your set for the party. Since the holidays are about love, love the fact that by using the real stuff, you are no longer sending plastic ware to the landfill for it to remain buried for centuries or to an incincerator where it  burns and spews dioxin, a potent carcinogen.